French tomato producer and marketer Savéol has launched a new pesticide-free range of tomatoes in response to growing consumer demand for healthy, environmentally-friendly products.
The Nature range, which is now being sold in commercial volumes following trials last year, features two products: a 400g pack of cocktail vine tomatoes, which retails at between €2.49 and €2.99, and a 220g pack of baby plum tomatoes. Both hit French supermarket shelves at the beginning of March this year.
The tomatoes, grown in Brittany, are completely free of pesticides and come in cardboard packaging that is 100 per cent recycled.
Since they are grown in raised beds, and not the ground, the tomatoes cannot be classed as organic, but Savéol is confident that the fact the range is pesticide-free will help drive sales.
“We think there is a future for this kind of product,” said Savéol’s Claire Simon. “We know from our studies that health is a major concern for most of our customers and next year we will try to add more types of tomato to the range.”
According to market research conducted by the company, 81 per cent of French consumers consider it important to purchase products that are more environmentally friendly and 60 per cent regularly or systematically give priority to more natural products.
Pesticides were also a concern for those surveyed, with 43 per cent saying they were worried about their presence in the food they buy.
